Camper insurance - Questions for insurance company

[Bird]

Hi Team..

This might be helpful to myself and others, having gone through a few Insurance threads on here Most are fairly old (2007).  I trust insurance companies as much as I trust Mr Bubbles with a preschool class.

This insurance gig, what are the questions a person (Newby like me) should ask when insuring a trailer?



** Make sure your trailer is listed as a Camper Trailer not Box trailer – Some companies make this mistake **



- Are you covered onroad or offroad anywhere in Australia?
- Are occasional drivers insured (EG: if I hurt myself, and mate tows it home once in a lifetime)
- Are you covered on Islands - EG Fraser Island etc.
- What is classed as an Isolated Location? (Read this on the Cape thread)
- Are there any Geographical Boundaries at all?
- Does the track have to be on a map - if so whose map, and can they supply the map?
=----- A 4wd club map (Some clubs have their own maps)
=----- Rooftop map, Adventurer map, watching a Les Hiddens DVD etc
=----- Does it need to be a Government printed map?
=----- Tourist center maps?
=----- Private Property/Park map?

- Are you covered on Club Properties?
- Are you covered at a 4wd Park?
- Are you covered on Private Property?
- Are you covered if someone else is towing your trailer home due to failure on your tow vehicle.
- Are you covered for Water/River Crossings?
- Are softsided trailers covered? (From anther thread: Some insurers have a problem with contents in what they classify was soft sided - Just be carefull with CIL, while they will happily insure your camper, they are one of the mobs who may decline contents cover of a soft side camper. eg canvas) - from this thread http://myswag.org/forum/index.php?topic=233.0
- Are you covered if the trailer is not attached to the car?
- Are you covered for basecamping - leave the trailer unattended?
- Are excess different if it needs recovering offroad to onroad?
- Are there limitations to the recovery?
- If there are repairs, is the van then delivered to your home if it is repaired in another state?
- Are you covered for inside the tent?
- Are you covered inside the Annexe if it is enclosed?
- Are you covered inside the Annexe if it is not enclosed?
- Is the tent considered part of the annexe (I read this on another forum)?
- Are you covered for cameras, or electrical goods inside the trailer/annexe?
- Are locked toolboxes covered?
- Are Solar panels covered?
- Are you covered for storm/flood damage? (eg Tree falls, struck by lightning)
- What are the specifics on your flood coverage?
- Is Pay by the month option? If so is it extra?
- How many make-an-excuse-to-get-out-of-paying departments do you have?
- Is your PDS in Engrish, or English?


Any other questions I should add to this Anything I've missed???
There is bound to be several obvious things I've missed....





Thanks
Bruce.

[rossow]

Hey Lost, this looks like a pretty good list... When you find all the answers, can you post them up ?

  That'd be great 

[Bird]

Hey Lost, this looks like a pretty good list... When you find all the answers, can you post them up ?

  That'd be great 

Gee ya dont want much

I would expect a better chance of winning next weeks $90 million lotto without a ticket than an insurance company answering all of em, or at least the drone on the phone to be able to!

Insurance worries me, with some of the stories you hear of the minute things people have been denied a payout on.

[GU_Thomo]

Thanks Lost for raising those questions.
I am now going to wade through my policy and see how many are answered.
Your comments about CIL and soft side campers has got me a bit concerned, especially as we are heading out west for a few months.

By the way it is interesting to match different user names, like yours, on different forums.
You are not a fan of Roothy I understand. LOL
Cheers

Parry

[Bird]

Thanks Lost for raising those questions.
I am now going to wade through my policy and see how many are answered.
Your comments about CIL and soft side campers has got me a bit concerned, especially as we are heading out west for a few months.

I've added the thread to the post above where I got the info.. Maybe its changed since that thread.. I'd hope so

By the way it is interesting to match different user names, like yours, on different forums.
You are not a fan of Roothy I understand. LOL

Cant stand the bloke..

[DaveL]

So is there an insurance company out there that is gong to truly cover us?

I am with CIL, because I was on a very tight deadline to get insurance as half the mobs I spoke to wouldn't insure me, and CIL seemed to be at a point where you where not getting any better coverage for the almost double the amounts being asked for by RACV and the likes.

Which ones should we avoid?

- David.

PS. Need to see what you have to say about Rotthy Bruce, I've seen a thread around somewhere.....

[darren]

Dont say too much.
 The mods are watching......

Darren

[middojnr]

- Are you covered on Private Property?

Something else you may wish to ask is this:
 - Are you covered whilst in a 4wd park.

This is a completely separate risk and some people find out the hard way that their vehicle isn't even covered whilst in a paid public 4wd park as this is defined as a greater risk to the insurer. (Allegedly.)

[Dion]

I'm wondering about the policy restriction on contents of an annex/under canvas, if its better to list the expensive stuff (e.g. fridge) on your home insurance as "coverage outside the home".  I have my camera equipment listed as this on my contents insurance, so if it gets stolen when I'm on holidays, its covered.

This may be a better way around the limitations of campertrailer / under canvas policy limitations?  Also means its covered when inside your vehicle.

[gbdid]

I'm wondering about the policy restriction on contents of an annex/under canvas, if its better to list the expensive stuff (e.g. fridge) on your home insurance as "coverage outside the home".  I have my camera equipment listed as this on my contents insurance, so if it gets stolen when I'm on holidays, its covered.

This may be a better way around the limitations of campertrailer / under canvas policy limitations?  Also means its covered when inside your vehicle.

That's what I did with camera, fridge, and laptop. They are listed as portable cover on my house contents and are  covered both at home and away from home. They had to be listed and are insured for their replacement value.

[DX grunt]

Another sad question I have to add to the list.

If my visitors use my CT that I have set up in my back yard for their use, am I covered?  Are my visitors covered?  Are we both covered?

Great thread with heaps of appropriate questions.

Ross

[Barry G]

In relation to the number of get-out-of-paying departments.   ...

They only need 1 ! 

[Bird]

So anyone got any other questions to ask??

Mine is up at moment, not sure who to go with...

[Burnsy]

That's what I did with camera, fridge, and laptop. They are listed as portable cover on my house contents and are  covered both at home and away from home. They had to be listed and are insured for their replacement value.

I am with Aami and they actually recommended I do this as it is not only cheaper but you get the benefit of your gear being covered when you are just out on day trips and not camping.

[Swogjb]

So anyone got any other questions to ask??

Mine is up at moment, not sure who to go with...

t

Ive been using an insurance broker for the last few years for both my business and private insurance. Saved me a small fortune. After a couple of years I got another quote from a different broker to compare, saved a sh!t load again.
Might be worth a try.
 

[oldturtle22]

this'll be usefull

cheers

[cossonfamily]

When I bought my 2nd hand camper recently the previous owners said they had their trailer contents isured as in 'Home Contents' cover. I am presuming like people have in a caravan. They did mention that they were travelling for 3 months and didn't have a house of residence, not sure if that makes a difference in Insurance eyes.

I am doing the Insurance rounds in the next cple weeks to cover our CT - so will post what I come up with too.

LOST - Thanks for such a comprehensive list! You are awesome, that will help heaps

Cheers
Tam

[Nomad]

Lost,

I read the thread on here about insurance and rang CIL and a few other "specialist" camper trailer / caravan insurers. Whilst they were more detailed in regards to contents etc for the camper I ended up going with AAMI. They currently do my car, wifes car and work cars as well as home and business insurances. They ended up doing me the best deal and adjusted home policy and car policy to cover any items that we take away with us. Now I am not recommending AAMI, in fact I don't recommend any of the bastards. I am happy to jump insurance companies quite regularly to get the best prices and services so I suggest you lump all your eggs into one basket, because if they don't cover you, just threaten to take the whole lot somewhere else and usually they will cover you for what you want in the end. I think your list is the most extensive I have seen.........thats guaranteed to keep you on the phone for a while.

Good luck..............

[cootha]

What's all the stuff about CIL in the first post?

Looked through the link you added and there's nothing negative about CIL at all in there.

I have just signed up with CIL for my new ct from reading constantly on this forum that they are good.  The guy on the phone I spoke  to from CIL was the only customer service person from an insurance company that knew what a camper trailer was.  That was a good sign.  They are expensive though.

and most of those questions are answered in pds's on all the insurance company websites.

[Bird]

have added a few things to the list.

[dno]

If you have multi policy cover (Eg. NRMA or RACV or similar) with road side assist,  is the CT cover'd with road side assist ?

[hempo]

good question dno.  Just renewed our RACQ Roadside assist and he recommended the Ultimate as it was the only one that would tow your camper for you if you broke down?  I haven't read through the docs yet though.  I assume the other states also have multiple levels.

[Kit_e_kat9]

If you have multi policy cover (Eg. NRMA or RACV or similar) with road side assist,  is the CT cover'd with road side assist ?

Depending on your level of membership caravans and trailers are always covered, the important Q is "for how far?"

RACQ:

Local benefits RACQ: Ultimate / Ultra Care / Plus Care / Roadside
Breakdown towing for your car* :        
- In any direction* 100km / 50km / 40km / 10km
- To attending RACQ Contractor's Premises* 200km / 120km / 100km / 40km

Breakdown towing for your caravan*:
Special towing* to $250 pa / to $165 pa / to $110 pa / Arranged

Out west these towing charges can be from $16 per kilometer OR MORE and include them going OUT THERE AND BACK, so what you think is 100K's can actually be 200k's.

If you have new vehicle roadside assist (came as part of the vehicle price) then there usually is NO CARAVAN option ... but you can approach the RAC in your state and upgrade to a more appropriate cover for a lesser cost ... your vehicle company has already paid for the limited roadside cover.

Kit_e
    

[Barry G]

If you have multi policy cover (Eg. NRMA or RACV or similar) with road side assist,  is the CT cover'd with road side assist ?

I have RACV 'Total Care'. This includes unlimited towing - I have a mate whose car was brought back to Vic from the Nullabor free on this cover. Neither my car nor the CT is insured with them. 
When I did a wheel bearing on the trailer I rang them, unhooked the CT and they winched it onto a tilt tray and returned it to my place.  No charge. 
Admittedly it wasn't that far from home, not sure if it would've been any different if at the other end of the state, ... or interstate.

[Bird]

btt